The Number Seven
by Art is a bang4979
Summary: Hinata is new to America. Her english is shacky, she very shy, and she painfully straight edge. Hidan is your normal everyday LA bad boy. He's rude, he's crude, and he's just what Hinata needs to feel like she fits in. AU HidanXHinata
1. Chastity

_**Chastity**_

_Courage and boldness. Embracing of moral wholesomeness and achieving purity of thought through education and betterment._

The plane ride was a scary thing for Hinata. She was about to set forth with only her cousin Neji from there happy home in Japan to the great unknown of America. Sure she watched American shows on TV sometimes and she was excellent in her English class at school but the culture shock was going to be hair rising. The scariest part though had to be the fact that she was leaving her father and little sister.

Sure they would come over eventually and her father's company would be paying there bills and other necessities but she was still scared to go alone. She looked to her left. Well almost alone, Neji would be with her, she was glad for that.

"Do you think my English is good?" Hinata asked tilting her head at Neji "I'm a little nervous."

"You'll be fine," Neji said with a slight smile to ease her worrying.

"And school…Will the children be kind?" she pressed her index fingers together, a nervous behavior she'd had since she was little. "I heard that…Americans are rather...rude."

"I'm sure it will be okay," her cousin replied closing his eyes as the plane began its way down the run way.

"I hopes so," she murmured.

"It's 'I hope so' Hinata, not hopes," Neji corrected his eyes still closed.

"Oh…Ok," Hinata said looking worriedly at the window as the plane lifted off the clouds and into the air.

"We're home," Neji said as he drove Hinata's father's Jaguar into the long drive way of him and Hinata's new home. The Jaguar had been sent over early so Neji would be able to get the two of them home and to school of course.

"It's giant," Hinata whispered "how many floors?"

"Three," her cousin replied killing the engine "You don't see houses like this in Tokyo."

"No," she agreed. And from what she saw so far, California was a beautiful place and the busy city of Los Angelus made her feel at home. "Let's go inside!" she giggled finding a new strength even after the long flight.

"You go ahead," Neji laughed handing her the keys "I'll bring in the luggage."

Three Weeks Later

"Hey Kakuzu," Hidan greeted his friend in the hall. Both of the tenth graders where late for homeroom class but neither seemed to care all that much.

"What do you want?" Kakuzu growled stuffing a few books in his locker.

"What, I can't say a nice hello to my best friend in the fucking world? That really hurts," Hidan grinned and the tanner one just glared dully at him.

"I don't have extra money for your lunch," Kakuzu said and started down the hall leaving Hidan behind.

"You're such a fag," Hidan yelled down the hall and his friend just flipped him off while continuing to walk. He ran his hands threw his slicked back hair and headed up the near by stair case and to his first class since going to homeroom would be a waste of time and effort. Not that Hidan was lazy…well perhaps a little.

He strolled past the office as the bell rang to go to first class. The main office had a big window allowing you to see what was going on inside and being as nosey as he is Hidan decided to look over.

There was a girl signing papers on a clip board, she was Asian, must be a new student. He raised a brow slightly checking her out for a second before looking away uninterested. He stuffed his hands deeper into the pockets of his sweater and walked on to US History. The only thing he liked about history class was the fact that he was good at it; he could probably tell you all the generals of the Union army if he wanted to.

"Hey dick get out of my chair," Hidan growled as he walked in seeing Sasuke in _his _seat. "Move the fuck out," he growled again "I don't give a shit who you're brother is your not sitting here!" Sasuke didn't move and smirked trying to look tough in front of the rest of the class but Hidan wouldn't have it.

"Seriously," he sighed putting his hands on the desk and glaring at the other boy. "Get out of my seat and I won't have to break your neck."

"Is that a threat?" Sasuke asked

"You can bet your annoying spoiled ass it is," Hidan growled and was about to flip the desk over with Sasuke still in it when something distracted the whole class.

"Um excuse me…" said a small voice from the door making all eyes look over "Is this room…" the girl looked to the paper in her hand "room 223?"

"Yeah…" Naruto said who was sitting next to Sasuke.

"T-Thank you," she said nervously and walked feverously to the back of the room. Hidan watched her go into a corner seat where there was no one sitting next to her. He smirked and looked down at Sasuke.

"Actually Uchiha I think I'll let you live today," he said and strolled over to the seat next to the new girl.

Hinata's hands felt very cold and clammy, the boy who decided to sit next to her was very unnerving. She kind of just bit her lip and looked at her desk. The boy kept giving her side long looks and smirking whenever she let her pale lavender eyes lock with his reddish purple ones. She could barely concentrate on what the teacher was saying with the way this boy was making her so nervous.

"I-Is there something I can do for you?" Hinata said finally getting the courage to speak. A few others glanced over while the boy next to her smiled devilishly. The girl had feared this sort of confrontation. She didn't want to be the butt of jokes but she had refused to go to a private all girls school or whatever non-sense her father wished.

"I can think of a few things," the silver haired boy next to her said and making a suggestive gesture. Some of the students around them giggled and some rolled there eyes but no one spoke out on Hinata's behalf.

Hinata herself had nothing to say on her own behalf, she knew enough English to know that she was being baited for embarrassment and saying one naive thing would end in disaster. So she just hid her face behind her hair and began working on the sheet handed to her by the student sitting in front of her to ignore the boy's still lingering gaze and infuriating smile.

The period ended and Hinata was glad. She'd finished her paperwork having ignored any side comments from the boy. She had nearly tripped over her own feet when the bell rang as she attempted to get out of her seat and leave in a rush.

"Not very good on your feet are you?" said the mocking voice with a snort of laughter that always seemed to be caught in his throat.

"I-I suppose n-not," she murmured nervously.

"What's your next class?" he asked as the room began to empty out. It was nearly Hinata's chance to escape but a few students still blocked her path.

"Um Algebra eye-eye?" Hinata said misreading the II as the letter I.

"Algebra two you mean?" he chuckled and she blushed. "That's too bad; we're not in the same class."

"How very unfortunate," Hinata mumbled uncaringly as the mob of kids broke and she was finally freed from the company of the strange boy. She didn't like hanging around boys like him. They frightened her and in truth Hinata felt she was better then to hang out with his ilk. Harsh perhaps but Hinata played on the safe side.

So with that she neutralized into the masses of bodies that flooded the hallway to somehow find out where her next class happened to be. Perhaps she should have asked that boy where it would be but since it was room 134 she guessed it would be on the first floor so no real need for directions, she knew how to count.

Two more periods went by before the bell for first lunch pinged threw the halls of the American high school. Hinata was not accustom to taking lunch within the school, at her old school students had a hour and a half break from school to do as they pleased. But here lunch was shortened to forty five minutes and held within the building or the outside lunch tables.

She quickly got her lunch and sat down at a table by herself. Hinata hadn't really talked to anyone except the strange boy from History class which was okay; she wasn't much of a people person anyway.

She ate silently before a form sat down across from her and she looked up timidly. Thankfully it wasn't the boy from History class, it was even worse, a group of annoyed looking girls. The girl standing right in front of her was a blonde and held her hair in a ponytail she wore a red and gold cheerleader uniform to let everyone know that they'd be having a game tonight. But she didn't look like she was inviting Hinata to the game.

"Hey this is our table," she said glaring Hinata down as if she's committed a crime worthy to murder.

"S-sorry," Hinata stammered getting up and fiddling to get her tray together. "I'll m-move right now." She turned away quickly the girls laughing behind her and she scurried off to find a new place to sit. The cafeteria inside was full so she was forced to navigate to the outdoor tables and found herself in a bad position. Yeah the outdoor tables where all pretty much empty but there was one table that did have a group of occupants. And the occupants of the outdoor seating were all staring at Hinata much like the blonde girl had, as if she'd done something taboo.

Hinata was ready to back track into the cafeteria when someone in the group called out.

"Hey come on sit with us," said a female voice. Hinata looked up and saw that the only female of the group was looking right at her the only one with a smile on her face. "We won't bite."

"Much," added Hidan who was sitting next to Kakuzu at the end of the table.


	2. Temperance

_**Temperance**_

_Constant mindfulness of others and one's surroundings; practicing self-control, abstention, and moderation_

Hinata sat down at the end of the table timidly, her eyes where wide as the other students stared at her intently some looked annoyed others were curious.

"What's your name girl?" asked the older girl who's hair was short and wispy around her face and dyed violet blue. She had dark red lipstick with a silver colored stud under her bottom lip, eye brows that were plucked till they where nothing but thin lines of light colored hair, under her invisible eye brows her eyes where a beautiful dark blue rimmed with black eyeliner. On her tray a veggie burger and a juice box sat.

"Hinata H-Hyuga," she shuddered nervously.

"Hinata that's a pretty name, your Japanese right?" the girl said with a smile and Hinata nodded slowly. "That's cool I'm half Japanese on my dad's side, I'm Konan by the way."

"N-Nice to meet you," Hinata said with a weary smile and roses blooming in her cheeks.

"Aw what a cutie," said a black haired boy.

"Yeah!" said another boy with long blonde hair. All the boys started chattering and Konan rolled her eyes taking a bite out of her plant burger.

"Don't worry about them Hinata," Konan said chewing "there just excited that there is a new toy for them to play with."

"Ah…okay," Hinata said not really understanding what she meant by that.

Everyone talked, laughed, and ate their lunches not paying much mind to Hinata. She was tolerated at least she thought, which couldn't be too bad compared to the treatment she got from the two girls earlier. She ate slowly, picking at her food even if she was very hungry, but her nerves had gotten the best of her.

From the conversation around her she could start making out the names of the people around her. From what she could tell most of the names where Japanese, this made sense since most of the population of the school was Asian. But the names where all very strange, most of them where play on words and Hinata wondered if the names where real or just nicknames that the strange bunch had chosen to call one another. After that Hinata gave up on following the conversation, they spoke way to fast and there slang was hard to understand so she went back into her shell and picked at her food.

Lunch ended quickly and she thanked God as the group got up and walked back inside to give there trays back to the lunch ladies. She followed behind them and they ignored her, even Konan ignored her, she was too busy talking to whom Hinata guessed was the girl's boy friend. Hidan was bust talking to his friend and the others where splitting to get to the next class.

The rest of the day seemed to fly afterwards and Hinata was thankful for that. So far she had no friends and no one who really wanted to be her friend. She wondered if something was wrong with her as she went to her locker and grabbed the books she'd need for homework. Perhaps it was her looks she thought biting the inside of her cheek as she slung her purse over her shoulder and closed her locket. She was a lot fatter than most of the other girls in the school. She'd seen a couple of girls that she felt bad for, girls who had boobs where smaller than their stomachs and had butts that hung to the floor. She could admit that she wasn't that fat but she was round and curvy and since the major population of the girls in the school where slim, she figured that she'd been lumped with the rest of the ugly kids. It made her depressed to think about it.

Her thoughts followed her onto the bus and she found a place where she could sit alone and unnoticed. She didn't want to offend someone by sitting next to them when they had reserved the spot for someone else. She didn't look at anyone her gaze out the window and her thoughts on depressing subjects. She didn't feel fit to live in America, these people where to harsh to judgmental and it was eating her up on the inside.

* * *

Hidan had to rush for the bus after gym since the teacher had decided to give a lecture about not saying 'fuck off' to the freshmen. Something like that, he wasn't exactly paying attention but he did get a detention Friday for it. Oh well, he thought getting to his locker to he could get his book bag and his LA baseball cap and left quick without even saying goodbye to Kakuzu. It didn't matter he didn't want to be late for the bus so Kakuzu would have to suck it up and deal with it as he rushed for the door and escaped outside.

He got on the bus and boy was he late. The bus was pretty much full, there were even a couple people on that weren't usually on the bus. He rolled his eyes and walked down the length of the bus looking for a spot to sit. Near the middle of the bus, eureka, there was a free space, the only free space on the whole freaking bus.

Little Hinata was sitting all by her lonesome and not paying attention to the fact that she was the only one that didn't have someone sitting with her. Hidan smirked and planted his ass down next to her and she seemed to jump a little in surprised and looked over at him. Her face fell when her say him and she looked back out the window quickly, clearly she was not in the mood for conversation. Hidan loved her nervousness, he thought it was cute.

"Hinata what a pleasant surprise to see you on the bus," he said with a grin and she just shrugged. "Not going to talk? Isn't that a bit rude?"

"I-I don't mean to be rude," she said looking over at him.

"But you don't want to talk to me do you? After a teased you today and all," he said looking down at Hinata with a piercing gaze that was perfectly designed to make her feel uncomfortable. It was simple for Hidan to make goodie two shoes girls to squirm in there panties, Hinata was no exception.

"I um…" she murmured feeling very cornered. "No…I didn't feel like you where teasing me. I-I thought it was funny." Oh poor thing was a horrible liar but Hidan played along with her dilutions. He could tell she was lonely, it was too cute.

"Oh well I'm glad you can accept my brand of humor," he said and slung his arm around Hinata's shoulders and she tensed up almost intently. He could bet her pussy was tied up in a knot by now. "How about you come over my place and I can tell you more jokes?"

"I-I can't," she said very nervous her eyes all wide and she tried to shrug Hidan's arm off her but he had a nice hold of her.

"Aw come on I promise you won't leave unsatisfied," he said with a smile his face close to Hinata's ear, so close that she could feel his breath on her neck. She struggled obviously feeling very trapped.

"S-Stop," Hinata pleaded her eyes closed, she was completely grossed out. Hidan felt that was probably enough and let her go, he loved teasing girls but he didn't like seeing girls cry. It was too messy and annoying to deal with.

"Fine jeez but you don't know what you're missing out on," Hidan said and put in his ear phone and Hinata squished herself tight agents the window so the two had as much space between them as she could manage.

* * *

Hidan's words had stung Hinata as she looked out the window trying to ignore the fact that he was there. She must look like a little girl, after all he was inviting her over, and he wouldn't do that if he didn't like her or found her attractive. But it all just felt so wrong! She couldn't help but pull away from his vulgar come on even so she felt like an idiot for doing so. She was sure that most of the girls at the school had already slept with men. Those beautiful cheerleaders at lunch who had scared her out of the table probably had boyfriends who'd they'd had sex with, and Konan too had her boyfriend whom she seemed to be completely in love with. She felt so behind the pack.

The depression ate at her but she couldn't bring herself to apologies to Hidan. She wanted do badly to fit in but she was too scared to ask him if he was serious about his offer. He'd probably laugh at her if she said she'd changed her mind and would go with him. He probably had no real interest and was just trying to make her uncomfortable. If that was what he was after he had been very much rewarded.

Her eyes moved and she found herself looking at Hidan, she hadn't had a real chance to study him. He was very handsome with his sharp violet eyes and strong bone structure in his face. He had a wide mouth and nice lips, she wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips and as she thought that she looked away embarrassed. How could she think that? Hidan had been nothing but a complete jerk to her yet she was contemplating the thought of kissing him? How much more wrong could that be?

Even so she glanced back at him and studied his figure; Hidan was built like a football player with wide shoulders and strong arms and he was tall. She stood up at his shoulder and it was amazing to see such a tall man. She found that very attractive. Hinata blushed and looked out the window. Hinata thought about what it would be like to be with him if he had a more ideal personality. If he where kinder and gentler and told her she was beautiful. A fantastical perfect man that every young girl dreams about and she almost believed that that man could be trapped inside Hidan's tough outer shell. She glanced at Hidan again and now he was smirking and laughing and talking to someone else on the bus. Her dream shattered, she knew there was no way a good man was inside Hidan, he would always be this way where it was negative for him or not.

The bus stopped and Hinata felt depressed again in the realization that her short lived dream would never come true. Hidan got up, it was apparently his stop. She wanted to say something or for him to say something. She wanted him to look back at her and say, 'see you tomorrow Hinata' or even a teasing 'see you tonight.' Anything that would say that he thought of her but he didn't he just got up and left the bus. She watched him get onto the side walk to meet up with a bunch of other boys. They were in a rough looking neighborhood with a bunch of run down apartments built very close to one another and little stores at every corner that sold alcohol and cigarettes. It felt so stereotypical for Hidan to live in such a bad area, but she supposed that some stereotypes where true. That made her depressed.

* * *

**AN:** **Damn this has been a long time coming. Sorry about the long hiatus I had no insperation to continue on Fan Fiction but this particular storey has been eating away at me and I had to continue. I don't know if I'll be continuing with some of my other fan fics we'll just have to see if the mood comes to me. **


	3. Charity

_**Charity**_

_Generosity. Willingness to give. A noble thought or actions. _

Not much had changed for Hinata even after a month if anything it had gotten worse. Her cousin had seen the change in her mood and many times Neji asked if she was having problem at school, of course Hinata deigned and sort of issue. She had gotten better at lying and once she had the chance she would run away from Neji's prying gaze and up to the shelter for her room. She didn't like having to talk to him and it was strange because she use to really enjoy talking with her beloved cousin, he was pretty much a sibling, they'd grown up together after all.

But since she'd started school there have been many changes for Hinata caused by her social solitude and depression. She hid herself behind dark baggy clothing and was eating very little; she'd lost sleep staying on the internet for whole nights, and her grades where slipping harshly but Neji didn't want to call up his uncle. He didn't want to seem like a failure to him even though Hinata was deteriorating before his very eyes. The holidays where coming up soon perhaps that would lift Hinata's spirits.

Hinata did her homework in her room lying on her belly on her bed with her Geometry book in front of her. She listened to her IPod while doing the problems assigned, she felt like a robot as she calculated each problem and wrote down answers. This was too simple for her but she hadn't liked anyone in her Algebra II class, she liked being seen as an average student, she didn't want everyone to think she was a nerd as well as 'the quiet girl.' She knew it was destructive but she just couldn't get herself to care about school. She was too focused on what everyone was thinking and it exhausted her. Once she finished she sat up and rubbed her eyes and put everything away. Then she went to bed without eating leaving Neji to eat dinner by himself again.

The alarm clock went off and Hinata is jarred awake feeling as tired as she did when she went to bed. She got up and turned off the alarm and began to get ready for school. She went to the bathroom and used the toilet then washed her hands and looked at herself in the mirror. She wanted to cry at what she saw. She had two pimples that had decided to pop up on her face over the night. She didn't know why her skin acted up so much now it use to be so clear, but now she had the most horrid acne. She covered the bumps the best she could with make-up but it was a futile attempt, the blemishes where still noticeable she'd only been able to cover some of the redness.

She bushed her teeth and went back to her room. She pulled on a sweater and a pair of jeans not caring if she was shapeless or not and pulls her long hair into a bun so it wouldn't get in her face. She looked at herself once over and shrugged, she looked ugly, oh well.

She left for the bus after eating one pop tart and a glass of milk. Even just eating that made her feel ill but she kept it in her stomach and waited outside her house for the school bus. The sky was still dim from the morning sun and the crows where cawing from there dark tree top roosts. Hinata had noticed over the change from summer to fall that the crows had replaced the lovely little morning birds. The ugly things cried and bickered as if calling for winter to come not that it was biting or bitter. The seasons of California where not very noticeable and she could still wear shorts in late November though she just chose not to.

The bus rolled up the street and stopped in front of her and she got one quickly finding an empty seat and putting her bag next to her to be sure no one would try to invite themselves next to her. She put her ear phones in and let The Ting Tings lyrics fill her mind.

Hidan climbed onto the bus. He hadn't changed much at all from September to November and that wasn't surprising. What was a surprise was the fact that he sat down next to the very quiet Hinata. Hinata herself gave him a wary look as she often did whenever Hidan decided to sit next to her. He gave a smile and Hinata rolled her eyes.

"Good morning beautiful," he said with a grin and she took out her ear phone bud and blinked at him.

"What?" she said and this time Hidan rolled his eyes.

"I said good morning," he replied and she said her own little greeting which consisted of a shrug. "So I guess you're in a bad mood babe?"

"No, I'm fine," she said and scrunched up her nose "don't call me babe."

"Sorry honey," Hidan smiled and Hinata practically seethed.

Hinata attempted to ignore Hidan raising the volume of her IPod so loud that the music was audible to the young man sitting next to her. Hidan smirked at this putting his arm across the back of the plastic seat. He curled his hand around and yanked the little ear bud from Hinata's ear. She turned her head toward him and glared fire and brim stone at the annoyance.

"What are you so pissed at?" Hidan asked with a wide smile.

"You know, just life," she replied rolling her eyes but her lips turned up a little. Yes, her life had indeed taken turned for the worse in the past month, but she did have one friend, if she could call Hidan a friend. He only really talked to her on the bus, but the things he did say at least made her laugh.

"Sakura and Ino still being bitches?" he asked raising a brow at her.

"Always," she sighed looking out the window.

"Yea well that's what they're good at…Hey did you do your Geometry homework? Can I copy?" he pulled his arm back from around the back of her seat.

"Sure, here you slacker," she grumbled and pulled her math notebook from her bag as he took out his own so he could copy her work. She'd figured that copying her homework was the only reason that Hidan even talked to her. Hinata never let the thought even go into her mind that he was at all interested in her. Well…that wasn't completely true.

She watched him as he scribbled down her answers, his hands where big and his knuckles looked callused and scarred. His hand writing was terrible and it made her smile. Hinata's gaze wandered to Hidan's face, he felt her eyes, and paused to look back at her.

"What?" he asked his tone low. Hinata rolled her eyes and shrugged looking out the window again to hide her intense blush. Why did he always notice her when she was looking? Why couldn't she just enjoy her eye candy without the eye candy having to always embarrass her?

As she contemplated her dilemma she didn't Hidan's smile, and finished copying her work.

Hidan of course already knew that Hinata had a crush on him. It was as obvious as the adorable blushes on her pale face, and to tell you the truth, Hidan kind of liked Hinata too. Even if her personality was a little bit on the depressing teenage emo side, he digged her body, and had gotten pissed when she stopped wearing those hip hugging jeans after a week of school. Now she looked like something the cat had dragged in and Hidan was beginning to give up on little Hinata.

But something about her always had him coming back to talk to her. He looked over at her as the bus came to a halt in front of the school. She was staring out the window as always looking so delicate, her pale gray blue eyes looked so sad. Plus she had huge tits! He'd give his left nut to just cup a feel.

The other kids on the bus got up and so did Hinata as the bus doors popped open. Hidan quickly got to his feet handing Hinata her notebook back. She thanked him quietly and he replied with a nod as they filed off the bus. He'd only been able to finish half of copying the Geometry homework since he'd been busy looking at Hinata. He was now screwed unless he could find someone to copy from before third period.

Hidan never did find anyone to copy from before third period. Deidara had kindly told him to 'fuck off' when he'd asked him, and Hidan wasn't about to swallow his pride to ask the Uchiha brat. Either way he'd gotten a 65 on the homework since it was half way done, and now he was eating lunch with the others.

Hinata still sat with them sort of. She'd decided she was better off disconnecting herself from the rest of the Akatsuki and now sat alone at the end of the table. No, one had really said anything about her breaking off from them, the only person she talked to was himself, and she only could do that on the bus. He glanced over at her as she began to think about her. She picked at her salad as if she was disgusted with it, and got to her feet to take up her tray.

He watched her get to the trash, next to the trash cans Sakura, Ino, and a pack of cheerleading wolves chatted. They saw her and it was like watching something out of the Discovery Channel. Right away he saw them looking and sneering at her, and saying things to her. Hinata simply tried to throw her barely eaten lunch away as they continued to laugh and pester her.

He didn't know why, but watching this pissed Hidan off and he got up from the table, surprising Kakuzu who had been trying to keep up a conversation with him. He made a B-line to the group of girls seeming to also be taking up his tray.

"Do you really think starving yourself is going to do anything for your fat ass Hinata?" Ino said her hands on her hips as Hinata attempted to escape the pack.

"Oh so this is where I dump my trash," Hidan grumbled as he dumped his plate of spaghetti over Ino's head and poured his milk on Sakura.

"You asshole!"

"What the fuck?"

Hidan only laughed and glanced at Hinata as one of the teachers started to yell and ordering him to go to the office. Hinata was wide eyed watching the cheerleader pack try to get Sakura and Ino to the ladies room before their clothes stained. She glanced at Hidan and they locked eyes before Hidan was dragged away.

Now things where just getting ridiculous…


	4. Diligence

_**Diligence**_

_Having a zealous and careful nature in one's actions and work. _

_Upholding one's convictions at all times…especially when _

_no one else is watching._

Hinata was never sent to the office for questioning that day. No, one really talked to her about the event that occurred in the lunch room, not personally at least, but everyone was certainly talking about it. There were several speculations on what would end up happening to Hidan, but never a final verdict. Hinata never saw Hidan for the rest of that school day. And for those last few hours it'd been eating at her.

Why would he do something like that? What he did was just completely stupid, there was no rhyme or reason, he just did it…and the way he looked at her. Hinata shook her head and looked back at the worksheet in front of her.

Question 3:

Who was the President of the Confederate States of America?

Hinata scrunched up her face reading the question over. US History was a class that really frustrated her, but she was able to answer most of the questions before the end of class. Her teacher said that she could finish the rest for homework, and she replied with a shy nod and sat back down at her desk.

"Hey Hinata," said Naruto who sat to her left. She looked up surprised that he'd even acknowledged her, and gave him a questioning look. "Did you hear what happened to Hidan?"

Hinata's heart started to beat a little faster; she just shook her head looking back at the blond boy.

"Well," he said "Apparently he said that he dumped that trash on the girls because he saw that they where bugging you. He still got suspended anyway, but is that true? Do you know him that well?" Naruto's eyes went wide expecting her to give up any juicy news. Hinata after all was a mystery to kids like Naruto, the ones that didn't torment her, but never talked to her.

"Um, no…I don't know him that well," she lied "I don't know why he did that…he must have just made that up so he wouldn't get in more trouble than he is." She'd have to forgive Hidan later for lying, not that he'd mind to much, he'd probably just laugh and tell her what a 'little snot' she was.

"How long will he be suspended for?" she asked quietly beginning to put her notes away so that she'd be ready for the bell.

"Uh a week I think," Naruto replied scratching the back of his head. "He's got an office suspension so he'll still be coming to school and junk. They'd rather not let a kid like him walk the streets unattended for a whole week if you get what I mean!" Naruto laughed and Hinata just shrugged as if she didn't know what he was talking about. She was just glad that Hidan would still be going on the bus with her even if she didn't see him during the day that would be okay, they never saw much of each other anyway.

Hidan was released from the clutches of the school principle when the final bell rang. Having an office suspension would be good for him, he'd be able to get his head clear and hopefully make on work he'd been falling behind on. He had a headache and he just wanted to get home and have the most fantastic nap ever.

"Hey, what happened at lunch man?" Kakuzu asked at the lockers.

"Nothing man," Hidan said with a smile closing the door of his locker. "Just sick of all this bullshit," He shrugged and turned away from his friend who followed just behind.

"What bullshit?" Kakuzu asked but Hidan just shrugged again as they walked together outside. "See you later, man, hope things turn out alright," his friend branched off from him and walked to his bus while Hidan kept walking to his own. He climbed up the steps of the bus and glanced around, the bus was on the almost completely full side. He walked down to where Hinata was sitting her gaze out the window distracted by the music blasting in her ears. Hidan gave a slight smile and seated himself down. She didn't twitch or shuffle closer to the window; she simply gave him a sidelong glance.

Pressing the pause button on her IPod Hinata asked, "Why'd you help me?"

"Because," he said lazily pulling his arm across the back of the chair "I like you."

"Oh," she murmured her cheeks stained "thank you."

Hidan just shrugged at her thanks and a silence fell between the two of them. It wasn't an awkward silence; not really, it was more relief than anything else. Hidan could tell that Hinata was actually very happy, her face was pink and she had a whisper of a curled smile on her lips. That made him smile, she looked cute. Very cute.

"I-I like you too Hidan," she finally confessed and Hidan closed his eyes smiling.

"That's good to know babe," he replied and patted Hinata's soft hair like he always did when she said something especially cute. For a moment she looked worried and he raised a brow at her. "What's eating at you?"

"I told Naruto I didn't know you," she said with a small voice. "I hope you're not insulted for that!"

"Pft!" Hidan laughed at that "Don't worry about it! That loser shouldn't be so damn noisy anyway!" He looked at her as she smiled and the bus came to his stop. Hidan gave a sigh of disappointment he wanted to talk to her more now that she seemed more willing to trust him. "Well gotta run," he said slinging his bag over his shoulder and getting up. She gave him a shy wave and he got off the bus.

Two weeks went by and it seemed like the best two weeks Hinata had ever had in America. Her and Hidan talked nonstop over the internet, threw text messages, and whole nights spent simply talking on the phone. For once Hinata was happy and it showed.

Hinata walked into the dining room wearing a white knitted dress with black leggings and flats. Her hair was loose around her face and pin straight; she even wore a little bit of makeup. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down as Neji walked into the room fixing his tie. He looked sharp with a white button up, black pants, and shiny black shoes, he'd even gotten a haircut. His hair was now down about his ear lobes and choppy.

"Ready for that interview?" Hinata asked looking her cousin over.

"Yea," he said fixing his cuffs "do I look alright?"

"You look great cousin," she smiled and took a mouth full of Frosted Flakes.

"You're looking nice yourself. What's the occasion?"

"No, occasion," she replied tossing some hair behind her shoulder "just going to the movies with Hidan."

"Just Hidan?" Neji asked raising a brow.

"Well not _just_ Hidan, Kakuzu and the others will be there too," she confirmed rolling her eyes at her protective cousin. She never considered that Hidan and herself where boyfriend and girlfriend, they'd just gone out with his friends, it wasn't like they were _dating_. Neji however thought differently about the close relationship that his younger cousin and this boy had developed. He wanted her to be careful, but without Hinata's parents yet around it wasn't like he had much ability or authority to better monitor her. He simply hoped she'd make the right choices.

"Alright well when is he picking you up?" Neji sighed making himself a bowl of the surgery cereal as well.

"Well we're going to the mall first then the movies, he said he's going to be here in an hour or so," she replied eating quickly.

He simply nodded and began to eat quietly. Hinata sighed and quickly finished up the bowl, she was annoyed with Neji so much right now! The whole time she'd been angry and depressed he never noticed her or asked her if anything was wrong. It seemed like it had been easier on him before she started to hang out more with Hidan and the other Akasuki, she had been within his control when she was sad, and that made her angry at him.

Hidan called her when Paine pulled into her drive way and she rushed out to greet them. Paine's car was a large black van with red clouds painted on the sides. Deidara slid open the side door for her and Hinata hopped in. She was taken aback by the smell of marijuana and had to cough slightly before getting use to it and plopping herself down in the farthest back seats next to Hidan.

"No, one cop better fucking pull us over Deidara," Hidan growled as Deidara handed the burning joint to Sasori.

"We'll be fine as long as Paine decides to drive the speed limit for once yea," the blonde yelled back. "You want a puff?"

"Nah," Hidan said rolling his eyes before looking at Hinata. "I like your dress," he said politely and Hinata smiled. He was wearing a T-shirt from his favorite band _Jashin_; it was black with the band's red insignia over his chest.

"Thanks," she replied as he rested his thick arm over her shoulder. "What movie are we going to see?" she asked looking up at him expectantly.

"I dunno yet," he replied carefully monitoring how fast Paine was driving and how obvious the smell in the car was getting. "Assholes look at the fog your making!" He kicked out at the back of Tobi's chair.

"Heeeyyyyy," Toby whimpered in displeasure turning around in the chair to look at Hidan and Hinata. "Hi Hinata!" he finally said waving to her and she waving back in return.

The ride to the mall only took about forty five minutes and lucky for the group they didn't get pulled over. Deidara, Tobi, and Sasori broke off from the group first to go into their favorite comic book store. The rest of the group weaved in and out of stores, none of them holding the satisfactory amount of money needed to buy much of anything.

However when they went to the music store Hidan lead Hinata threw the different ails of music genre till he came a pond his destination. He fingered threw a few CDs of bands Hinata had never heard of before grabbing a hold of the latest _Jashin_ album. He looked at it and handed it to her and she blinked several times in surprise.

"I'll buy it for you," he said in a way that finalized the argument. Again Hinata only blinked at him then looked at the plastic wrapped album in her hands. The cover was white with a graphic of blood splatter going across the top of it then dripping down into the _Jashin _insignia.

"I don't know if you'll like that kind of music or not," he said scratching the back of his head as they walked together to the cash register. "But I practically worship them."

"I'm sure I'll enjoy it, I'm not picky when it comes to music," Hinata replied with a smile and Hidan shrugged and smiled in return. She enjoyed Hidan's smile, it was a half curl in his mouth and his violet eyes would become sharp and cat like. Hinata wondered if he intentionally smiled like that to her just to look sexy, then she blushed at her own vulgar thought. As promised Hidan paid for the album and they walked together out of the mall and across the parking lot to the movie theater. Together…and alone.


End file.
